Weekly Bulletin
November 26, 2023 Christ the King Sunday: Liturgical Color - White
We will love God, share the good news of Jesus Christ, and serve others.
T O D A Y A T FI R S T C H U R C H
WELCOME TO FIRST REFORMED CHURCH! Welcome, one and all, as we worship Christ the King in song and speech, prayer and praise.
OUR CHURCH HELPERS TODAY * Greeters-Ron Pessman & Kathy Barsema. Greeter-Ramp Door-Eric Janvrin. Children’s Sermon-Janvrin’s. Scripture Reader-Madison Krum. Sound System-Ken Vanderploeg. Projector-Candie Schipper. Song Leader-Julie Bielema. Social Time-None. Food Pantry-Charlie & Marcia Carter. Elder Prayer After Worship-Garry Medema. Open Church-Phil Bielema. Thank you for your help!
THIS MORNING Pastor Chuck will lead us in worship. We will also collect our Thanksgiving Offering for the Victory Center in Clinton.
FOLLOWING WORSHIP we will decorate the sanctuary for Christmas. We will end the time with a soup luncheon.
SOCIAL TIME is held in the library following worship until 11:00 A.M. Come and enjoy snacks and fellowship.
10:30 A.M. * NO SUNDAY SCHOOL.
T H I S W E E K A T F I R S T C H U R C H :
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29:
6:30 P.M. * Bible Study with Pastor Chuck.
NEXT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3:
8:00 A.M. * Choir Practice.
9:00 A.M. * Pastor Chuck will preach.
CHURCH HELPERS * Greeters-Marcia Carter & Chris Krum. Greeter-Ramp Door-Ron Pessman. Children’s Sermon-Pastor Chuck. Scripture Reader-Carol Janvrin. Sound System-Art Kilburg. Projector-Phil Bielema. Song Leader-Eric & Carol Janvrin. Social Time-None. Food Pantry-Kathy Barsema. Elder Prayer After Worship-Ron Pessman. Open Church-None.
FOLLOWING WORSHIP we will have an Event Committee meeting in the Consistory Room.
10:30 A.M. * Sunday School.
PERSONAL ITEMS:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow to Bob Betsinger. Marilyn Huizenga’s birthday is November 29. Marcia Brackemyer will celebrate her birthday on December 1. Have a wonderful day!
THANK YOU to everyone who came and brought food to our Friendsgiving event. It was a great time with good food and a lot of fun!! Keep watching for the future events we have planned.
*** Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, kind words, and cards we received when Edith Gowan passed away last month. The Gowan Family
*** Thank you to everyone that made donations of items, gave money or helped with the shopping and packing of the Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas Child. We packed 26 boxes this year and we could not do this without your help. Thanks so much!
Chris Krum
UPDATE ON THE HOSPITALIZED & PRAYER CONCERNS:
Be in prayer for Wilma Foster as she now has Covid. Katherine Russ, daughter of Ken & Jan Ottens, will have surgery on Tuesday. Please keep all the members of our congregation in your prayers.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS OF INTEREST:
ADVENT MEMORIALS can be given to the church again this year. Since we no longer have radio broadcasts and there is little to no use of the library resources, we decided to replace those with missions. You can still purchase a poinsettia plant. Forms are on the table in the narthex. Poinsettia memorials are due today.
WE HAVE A NEW DVD in our library for you to enjoy, thanks to Art & Peg Kilburg, who gave “QUEEN ESTHER,” which was filmed at the Sight & Sound Theater in Branson, MO. This extraordinary film gives you the best seat in the house for every spectacular moment of the show. The DVD includes several special features and an informative booklet and runs approximately 131 minutes. It will be on the library desk.
DITTY BAGS: Though we don’t have communion to deliver, we as a consistory, will still have ditty bags to deliver. They will be available in the consistory room in December.
THE UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER contest will be December 17. We will have games and goodies in the library following worship.
FYI: There is a missionary update from Grace Covenant Ministries on the bulletin board. Take a chance to read it.
THE NURSERY is available for your use if needed.
THE FOOD PANTRY ITEMS for December are Peaches, Fruit Cocktail, Pears, Applesauce or Jell-O. Please help support the pantry by bringing a donation to church.
CHRISTMAS PLAY: The Morrison Music Theater Association is presenting “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!” It is a delightful family comedy based on the best-selling book by Barbara Robinson. In “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” a church tries to organize its traditional holiday pageant while including six over-eager children from the Herdman family – the loudest, nastiest, most awful kids in the community. The spirit of the season, however, works its transformative magic. The worst kids in the neighborhood connect with the wonder and mystery of the story, and the congregation rediscovers the pageant’s true power. The play will be presented Friday, December 1 at 7:00 P.M., Saturday, December 2 at 2:00 P.M. and Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 P.M. in the Morrison Tech Auditorium (south of Morrison off Route 78). Admission will be free.
COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER: This year there are two things that have changed with the Community Christmas Dinner: #1 The location will now be at Prince of Peace Parish in Clinton, 1105 LaMetta Wynn Drive, just off the parkway. The 2nd thing is calling for a meal: If you are a shut-in and need a meal delivered, we ask that you call beginning right now up until Christmas Eve at 4:00 P.M. We will not have a land line to utilize so we need to be called on our cell phones now. If we do not answer, please leave a message with your name, phone number, and address and which town you are in. We will be serving as usual, Clinton, Camanche, Fulton and Albany. David, 319-631-2358 or Barb at 563-357-0461. If you have worked the dinner in the past, we hope you will continue to do so. If you have been a “bakery angel” we hope you will also bake again this year and drop off at Prince of Peace Parish Hall any time from 10:00 A.M. on Christmas Eve. to 6:30 A.M. on Christmas Day. The meal is FREE, however donations are accepted and appreciated if you can make one. The hours are the same, 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., if you can get out come and enjoy a meal with socialization rather than just sitting at home alone. Everyone is invited to attend. You can call Dave or Barb to volunteer, and this would be so appreciated!
